VIP Magazine is very excited to begin our Rock Star Artist Series which will feature community artists displaying their talents in the fields of art, music, food, beverage, design, and more. VIP loves the Arts so each month we hope to bring you some amazing people and businesses that are bringing their talents to our community.

VIP begins its series with Chef Brandon Green of Heads and Tails Seafood & Oyster Bar in Harahan, right outside of New Orleans. If you haven’t heard of, much less ventured your way to Heads and Tails…believe us when we tell you that the small drive is definitely worth the trip and Chef Brandon will not disappoint. Here is the article which is featured in the Aug/Sept 2017 Southern Decadence Issue of VIP Magazine. To Subscribe to VIP Magazine Click Here

If you think you or would like to recommend someone for our Rock Star Artist series, please email us: editor@myVIPmag.us

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The Greater New Orleans Foundation presents: Happy Hour with BREAKOUT on August 24, 2017

Come to this free event and meet leaders of the New Orleans nonprofit communities while enjoying complimentary cocktails from Donner-Peltier Distilleries! BreakOUT! seeks to end the criminalization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth to build a safer and more just New Orleans. The non-profit builds on the rich cultural tradition of resistance in the South to build the power of LGBTQ youth ages 13-25 and directly impacted by the social justice system through youth organizing, healing justice, and leadership development programs.

Invite friends – any and all are welcome! Pop Up Happy Hours are presented by the Greater New Orleans Foundation in partnership with 504ward, Bellwether Technology, Emerging Philanthropists of New Orleans, IBERIABANK, Jones Walker LLP, Peter Mayer, Teach For America – Louisiana Delta, Urban League of Greater New Orleans Young Professionals, Hancock and Whitney Bank, and the Young Leadership Council (YLC).

Award-winning writer/director Del Shores (“Blues For Willadean,” “Southern Baptist Sissies,” “Queer A Folk”) brings his latest film, A Very Sordid Wedding, the outrageously funny sequel to his play, movie and TV series Sordid Lives, to New Orleans for the Louisiana Premiere at Joy Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 2 (Doors open 1:00 p.m., screening at 2:00 p.m.). Sordid Lives creator Del Shores and producer/star Emerson Collins will be in-person to introduce the film and will be doing a post-screening Q&A. For tickets, visit http://bit.ly/2x447ju. For more information on A Very Sordid Wedding, visit https://www.averysordidwedding.com/.

The film brings back an all-star ensemble cast of characters, rooted in the Southern Baptist world of Winters, Texas, in the weeks following the U.S. Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage equality ruling where not everyone there is ready to accept it. Since the film’s World Premiere in March in Palm Springs, Calif., where it received the country’s highest per screen specialty box office average its opening weekend, A Very Sordid Wedding has expanded in limited release via The Film Collaborative enjoying an explosive audience response with sold-out premieres in 34 markets to date including Los Angeles, San Diego, Toronto, Dallas, Austin, Salt Lake City, Tulsa, Kansas City, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Birmingham, Nashville, Lexington, Atlanta, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Provincetown and more. For further updates on the film’s release, visit http://www.averysordidwedding.com/.

The Huffington Post proclaims A Very Sordid Wedding as “much more than a wonderful movie, but a game-changer In LGBT politics,” Film Journal International raves, “If you liked the original, the overdue sequel to ‘Sordid Lives’ will both delight you and warm your ever-lovin’ heart” and The Hollywood Reporter says the film “offers some undeniably entertaining moments, and its talented ensemble, clearly encouraged to pull out all the stops, delivers their comic shtick with admirable gusto.”

Sordid Lives, Del Shores’ fourth play, opened in Los Angeles in 1996, and ran for 13 sold-out months. It received 13 “Critic’s Choice” honors and 14 Drama-Logue Theatre Awards. In 1999, Shores wrote and directed the film adaption of Sordid Lives starring Beau Bridges, Delta Burke, Olivia Newton-John, Bonnie Bedelia, Leslie Jordan and Beth Grant, along with most of the cast from the play. The movie became a cult phenomenon taking in nearly $2 million in its eight-theatre limited release. The movie won six Best Feature and 13 Audience Awards at film festivals. In 2002, Twentieth Century Fox released the DVD/Video, which has now sold over 300,000 units. The film was re-released by Wolfe Video in 2014. Sordid Lives: The Series, a 12-episode TV series prequel to the Sordid Lives film, premiered on MTV’s LOGO network in 2008.

“Not a day goes by where someone doesn’t write me asking me for more Sordid Lives. So many of my LGBTQ fans, of all ages, have come out to their folks by showing them Sordid Lives because the humor helped them share their own story,” explains writer, director and producer Del Shores. “I am excited to bring my characters up to July 2015 where they are hit with the reality of Texas having full equality. I wanted to contrast affirming churches and organizations like Faith In America with the hypocritical bigotry that is still being spewed from pulpits represented by the ‘Anti-Equality Rally’ in the film.”

“With the victory of marriage equality and the resulting backlash disguised as ‘religious freedom’ bills, our film exploring the impact of religious bigotry couldn’t come at a more timely moment in our history,” continues producer and star Emerson Collins. “Hard-fought LGBTQ rights won over the past eight years now hang in the balance with the new presidential administration and conservative state legislatures across the country preparing to target the LGBTQ community.”

As the original film dealt with coming out in a conservative Southern world, A Very Sordid Wedding explores the questions, bigotry and the fallout of what happens when gay marriage comes to communities and families that are not quite ready to accept it. Bigoted “religious freedom,” marriage equality and cultural acceptance are all explored with Del Shores’ trademark approach to using comedy and his much beloved Sordid Lives characters to deal with these important current social issues and the very real process of accepting your family for who they are instead of who you want them to be.

Synopsis: A VERY SORDID WEDDING

It’s 2015, seventeen years after Peggy tripped over G.W.’s wooden legs and died in Sordid Lives, and life has moved into the present for the residents of Winters, Texas. Sissy Hickey (Dale Dickey) is reading the Bible, cover to cover, trying to make some kind of sense out of what it really says about gay people. Her niece Latrelle Williamson (Bonnie Bedelia) has divorced her husband Wilson (Michael MacRae) who has taken up with a hot young gold digger. Latrelle’s now out and proud gay son Ty (Kirk Geiger) is on his way back to town with his black man and news of their own. Her sister LaVonda (Ann Walker) is still cussin’ and drankin’ and is being blackmailed to sit with the sick and afflicted. LaVonda’s best friend Noleta (Caroline Rhea) meets a hot younger man while visiting her awful mama in the hospital. G.W. (David Steen), sporting new fiberglass legs after Noleta burned his old ones, is still feeling guilty and mourning Peggy. Nearly incoherent barfly Juanita (Sarah Hunley) has moved from her obsession with Vacation Bible School roosters to the royal family while Wardell (Newell Alexander) and Odell (David Cowgill) still bicker at the bar. Tammy Wynette champion Brother Boy (Leslie Jordan) hasn’t been back to Winters since Peggy’s funeral, and he’s working at a tragic little gay bar in Longview, having added Loretta and Dolly to his new medley act “We Three Queens of Oper-y Are” till a chance meeting with a dangerous criminal forces him out on the run. As the sordid saga continues, an anniversary memorial service is being planned in honor of Peggy at Bubba’s Bar while the Southside Baptist Church is planning an “Anti-Equality Rally” to protest the advancement of same-sex marriage, spearheaded by Vera Lisso (Lorna Scott) and Mrs. Barnes (Sharon Garrison). Both events are to take place on the same night, so the cast of colorful characters are all on a collision course for shenanigans and fireworks, and a surprise wedding!

About DEL SHORES – Writer/Director/Producer

Shores has written, directed and produced for film, network and cable television, and theatre. His most recent film, a hybrid adaptation of his GLAAD Award-winning play Southern Baptist Sissies, won fifteen film festival awards including eight Audience Awards and is available on all platforms. His film, Blues For Willadean, is an adaptation of his NAACP Award-winning play The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife starring Beth Grant, Dale Dickey and Academy Award-winner Octavia Spencer. A film adaptation of his play Daddy’s Dyin’ (Who’s Got The Will?) was released by MGM and Propaganda Films. Shores wrote and directed the film version of his play Sordid Lives starring Beau Bridges, Delta Burke, Olivia Newton-John, Bonnie Bedelia, Leslie Jordan and Beth Grant with many of the actors from the original stage cast. Sordid Lives: The Series, a television series prequel to the film, premiered on Viacom’s LOGO network in 2008, and Shores created, wrote, directed and executive produced all 12 episodes. Shores’ seven plays have run for over six years collectively in Los Angeles where they all premiered and won numerous awards from GLAAD, the NAACP, the LA Drama Critic’s Circle, LA Stage Alliance, LA Weekly and Backstage.

ATTENTION ART LOVERS: THE HOMOSURREALISM ART MOVEMENT TO EXHIBIT IN NEW ORLEANS JUNE 23, 2017. The Exhibit will be held at the Napoleon’s Itch -BSE Green Rom of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel from 9pm-midnight. We hope to see everyone there!

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We are exciting to be putting the final touches on the 2017 Pride Edition of VIP. We are very excited to have Regions Bank as a major advertiser among many other national and local companies showing their support for our community.

THERE IS STILL TIME FOR YOUR BUSINESS TO ADVERTISE IN THE PRIDE EDITION.

Don’t Miss Out on this great opportunity for your business. For More information visit, myVIPmag.us Call us at 504-777-9776 or email rick@myVIPmedia.com

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Pink Triangle Press has acquired GuySpy, an online social network for gay men, in a deal announced today. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The acquisition brings together under one company, GuySpy and the leading gay hookup website, Squirt.org, allowing gay men to sign up for free, browse from millions of profiles and connect with other gay men in their communities.

“We are very excited to add GuySpy to our family of notable properties engaging the gay community” said David Walberg, Digital Media Chief Executive for Pink Triangle Press. “This acquisition is part of our long-term goal to have greater exposure for Pink Triangle Press and to further grow and expand into an entirely new segment through the GuySpy social network and mobile app”.

GuySpy is a popular online social network for men who like men that allows users to search for men by distance, age, personal stats, sexual positions and more. Users can upload photos, add a personal voice greeting and keep their guys organized through buddy and favorite lists and switch to Travel Mode to see men wherever they go.

The GuySpy mobile dating app makes it easier for guys to connect on their smartphones or tablets, and allows users to view profiles, “like” photos and other postings, send text, video and voice messages as well as the ability to find each other with a GPS-enabled map.

“The app gives users the ability to connect faster and browse through a huge array of profiles of guys seeking to meet, date and connect” Walberg said. “As we continue to update the app it will allow GuySpy to expand into new markets and connect new users like never before with the latest mobile technology from iPhone and Android.”

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VIP Media Group and SHOP by VIP with designs from Rick Lara is thrilled announce our upcoming Runway Collection to show at New Orleans Fashion Week. The show will be held on March 23, 2017, at the Civic Theatre. Both Rick and VIP are excited to show our new collection of custom tees, casual wear, and sportswear to be available on SHOPbyVIP.com immediately after the show.

For More Details visit myVIPmag.us or NewOrleansFashionWeek.com. Get your Tickets Today!

There’s no better place to advertise your business than VIP Magazine! The 2017 VIP Magazine Media Kit, Rate Card, and Editorial Calendar are now available online at myVIPmag.us VIP is gearing up for a HUGE year with some AMAZING changes. Build your brand and speak directly to an audience with $917 Billon in estimated buying power. To advertise, email info@myVIPmag.us or call 504-456-2868. Click ADVERTISE to view the media kit.

(December 8, 2016 |New Orleans, LA) VIP Magazine of New Orleans announced today that it would begin fundraising efforts to support the Stop SSPA (Same Sex Partner Abuse) Empowerment Fund. The newly created and developing empowerment fund’s mission is to increase the awareness of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the LGBTQ community, provide educational resources to help stop abuse, and create legal funding and support to empower victims to hold abusers accountable for their actions through civil litigation.

VIP Magazine is proud to support organizations and interests that can make profound improvements to the quality of life for members of the LGBTQ community, said Rick Lara, VIP Magazine Publisher, “and I understand the enormous and lasting impact IPV has on victims and how this silent epidemic in the gay community needs to be addressed and stopped.”

The Fund was created in partnership with VIP Magazine through VIP Media Group, LLC. Fundraising is underway via a campaign on GO FUND ME (https://www.gofundme.com/sspa-fund), myVIPmag.us, and SHOPbyVIP.com. Donations can be made on any of the previously mentioned websites. VIP Magazine plans to announce it’s first fundraising event in support of SSPA in the next couple weeks. “There’s an inherent cultural bias when it comes to same sex violence, but violence in relationships is about power and control and that doesn’t change simply because it’s a same sex relationship,” said Rick Lara. “That bias has lead to a silence in the LGBT Community for way to long.”

To get more information on the fund, volunteer, or become one of the legal partners, please visit myVIPmag.us/sspa-fund or email info@myvipmag.us If you have been a victim of IPV or know someone who has been victimized and would like to share your story, please VIP at editor@myvipmag.us. BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

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